Automatic water-feeder



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

G. A. SOUTHWIGK. `A'IMAIIC WATER FEEDER.

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(No Mqdel.) 2 sheets-sheen 2.

' C. SOUTHWIG-K. AUTOMATIC WATER FEEDER.

No. 518,866. l Patented Apr. 24, 1894.

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w N V Nv d CHARLES AUSTIN SOUTHWCK,

or PEABODY, MASSACHUSETTSI AUToMATlo'wATER-FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of letters Patent No. 518,866,dated April 24, 1894.

Application fue@ september z, 1891. Vserai No. 404.514.y (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I', CHARLES AUSTIN SOUTH- WICK, of Peabody, in the county of Essex and State vof Massachusetts,have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Water-Feeders, of which the followingis aspeciiication.

This invention relates lto automatic waterfeeders of the class to which my Letters Patent No'. 384,874, granted June 19, 1888, belongs, for the purpose of maintaining a standard level of water or other liquids in steam boilers, tanks, &C.,and it consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts where by greater efficiency, economy, and equality of Wear, are secured, and repairs rendered more easy.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of my improved water-feeder, certain portions being shownin broken lines. Fig. 2is a section on line 0c Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line y, Fig. 1, a portion only of the sliding valve R being shown.

A A represent the feed-reservoir which is a closed vessel divided vertically at a into two parts and bolted together, as shown, so that the part A can be readily removed for purposes of repairs. This reservoir is substantially of the shape shown and may be supported by a standard a.

B is a float within the reservoir provided with a hole or tubular passage B through its diameter,through which loosely `extends the rod b. This rod has its opposite ends secured in the arms C ofthe swinging frame or lever C, which is pivoted at C to the reservoir by meansof the horizontalshaft D to which it is rigidly secured, and which is supported by the reservoir, as shown in Fig. 2. Fast on the shaft D, is a tilting frame consisting of the side rails E and lower bar E', in which rolls freely the ball F. A balance weight F is pivotally secured within the case A upon the pin F and has integral With it a projection F from which extends the engaging pin e,-the object being to counterbalance the weight of the valve-rods and their connections, (below described.)

H is a vertically reciprocating frame or connecting bar which connects the two valvee rods g and h. Thisframe engages the counterbalance F by means of a notch or opening H into which the said pin eprojects, and the frame H is engaged by the swinging frame C by means of apin or roll c extending from said swinging frame into the long vertical opening H in the valve-rod frame H.

I is a valve-Shell Secured to the under side of the reservoir A A', as shown, and leading into it by means of the opening I which is coincident with the opening A in said reservoir.' This valve-shell is provided with an internal chamber .l whose tubular portie-n J serves as a guide for the tubular valve Zsecured to the lower end of the Valvestem g by means of the open frame g', said valvestem being adj ustably secured to the lower end of the vertically reciprocating frame or rod H, and playing in the guide g secured to the reservoir.

K is the water inlet leading into the internal chamber or shell .l by means of theopening lK', and L is the water outlet which by means of a suitable pipe (not necessary to be shown in the drawings) leads to the boiler, tank, or receiver of any kind in which a standard level or height of liquid'is to be maintained. The outlet L is connected with the inner shell or chamber .l by means of the opening L. lt will readily be seen that while the valve Z is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the inlet K is open, and water is free to enter through said inlet, opening K', and openings I and K to the reservoir, while the outlet L is closed. If the valve l were to be raised, the water-inletK would be closed and the water-outlet L would be opened, allowing water to pass from the reservoir through the openings A and I', tubular valve l, opening L and outlet L into the pipe leading to the boiler. The downward movement of the valve is limited by the seat Z which is touched by the open frame l extending from the lower end of the valve.

N is a valve-Shell secured to the upper side of the reservoir A A and provided with a removable cap N. This shell is provided with an internal horizontal ledge or valve-seat n which has openings or ports n therein, such openings leading from the portion of the interior of the shell next the cap N to the main portion of the interior which is connected with the reservoir A A by the opening A. A steam-inlet P leads into the portion of the shell above the ledge or valve-seat n, and a sliding valve R, provided with suitable openings or ports R is held down upon the valveseat n by means of a spring S. To the upper end of the frame or valve-rod connection H is adjustably secured the lower end of the valve-rod h, and the upper endlthereof is pivotally secured to the elbow-lever or bell` crank fm, which is pivoted at fm to the shell N. This bell-crank mis provided with a sleeve or sliding tube t which slides upon the vertical rod T which extends down from the sliding Valve R through one of the openings ln. inthe valve seat fn. l Whenthis valve is in the position showny in Fig. l, steam cannot pass-from'ithe inletfP into the reservoir as the open-ings or ports R and n are not co incident, but should the valve-rod h be raised, the valveR wouldbe slid .back by means of the bell-crank m, sleeve t and rod T, making the' ports R- and fn. coincident and allowing steamitolpass through them intothe shell N.

and thence through the opening A into `the reservoir A A.

U isan'exhaust opening into t'heatmos-v` phere.

In practicaly operation therefore, the WaterV enters the inletK and passes'inthe manner above described into the reservoir,raising the iioatfB until it strikes the upper arm u C l of the swinginglframe, which then proceeds toswingupward until the pino strikes the upper edge of the opening H in the valve-rod frame or connection H. This motion raises the right hand end of the tilting `frame E E until at4 the instant the pin 1c touches'theup-n perendof the openinglH. the ball F rolls toi the left handand assists the upward movement ofthe `valve-rod frame H. This operationv moves the sliding valve R so that theV ports areopened for the admission of steam from the steam-inlet P and closed to the exhaust V, thus letting steam into the reservoir, and at the same time it closesthe water-inlet K and opens the water-outlet L. As the water inthe reservoir lowers, the above operation is reversed, and by this means a standard level is maintained in the boiler which is connected by a suitable pipe with the outlet L. The interior of the valve-shell Nis easily accessible by removing the cap N.

The steam and water pipes connecting with lthe `boiler are similar topipes c and fin my vided With the ports Riand helddown upon' the valvef-seatrby :the spring S, `the cap N', the bell crank m pivotedtorthe shell, the vertical rod Textendingdown from the sliding valve R through one of the openings inl the valve seat, the sliding tube t on said vertical rod,the exhaust iU, the: `valve i rod h, andactuating mechanism, constructed and arranged substantially as set `forth.`

2. Inlan automaticwater feeder, the com-v bination of the `reservoir fA,the `valve-shell I and internalshell J provided with the `tubuy lar` portion .I, said 4tubular portion havin glthe ports K L', the `water-inlet K, water-outlet `L,l tubular valve l, and valve-rod g, all construct-` ed Yand arranged substantially` as described.

3. In, combinatiomthe valve-rods h g, the reciprocating valve-rod frame H connecting said valve-rods,isaid i'rameprovided with the opening H and notch H', the swinging frame C C pivoted'fto thereservoir and engaging the frame or stem H by meansof the opening H and itself engaged by the` ioat-B sliding on the rod b held by said frame C C', the `tiltin g-frarneE E sustainingthe ballF and actuated by the shaft D, and the reservoir, substantially as` set forth.

i CHARLES `AUSTIN` SOUTHWICK.

Vitnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, J. M. HARTNETT. 

